Tears You Never Cried
by Secret of the Sunset
Summary: /Takeru.Hikari.Ken/ /Michi.Sorato/ AU In order to save his own life, Ken, a young sorcerer, will risk the life of Yagami Hikari.
1. Prologue

_Tears You Never Cried_

_Prologue _

* * *

**Disclaimer:** My first actual disclaimer! Umm, okay, I _claim_ to own nothing–except the plot, I totally own that!

**Author's Note:** Well, the prologue gave me more troubles than I'd expected, and I'm not really pleased with the layout. But it's all I could come up with, and other chapters will be normal story-like chapters.

And before I forget, if anyone could direct me to some well written Kekari's, it would be much appreciated.

* * *

If you are looking for a fairy tale, then I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place. I would like to say that this tale is a fable meant to awe children with its fantastic events, but that would be a lie. You see, for this to be a fairy tale, then everything would have to work out perfectly in the end; everyone would be happy and the bad guy would get what he deserves. Unfortunately, it's not so clear cut in this story. You may wonder just who the bad guy is by tale's end, and what he deserves.

But, rather than get a head of myself with declarations of what this story is not, and before I spoil the story by telling you exactly what it is, I will take you there myself and let you decide.

It all begins with a once upon a time…

* * *

The Ichijouji name was once a powerful icon; as much a show of strength and bravery as it was of compassion and honesty. But the name was ancient, and like many ancient things, it began to fade until it was barely a distant memory in the minds of scholars.

The last Lord Ichijouji was a simple man, more worried about his family than about his title. He participated little in court affairs in favor of spending time at his manor. Lord Ichijouji had two sons with his darling wife, Ayana. Osamu was the first born son, a strong and bright boy. He disagreed with his father's decision to avoid court, especially with their ideal location. The Ichijouji manor sat directly between the Ishida kingdom and the Hida kingdom. In times past, the Ichijoujis favored the Hida kingdom, though they never pledged allegiance to any country. Osamu planned to make friends with both kingdoms as soon as he was old enough to take his father's title.

Osamu was smarter than most, in that he had books smarts and common sense. He excelled in his studies by at least five years. He spent hours upon hours in the large library studying from a broad array of subjects. When he wasn't in the library, he was likely to be found in the stables taking care of his grey stallion, Rionx.

He was truly a son any parent could be proud of, and the Ichijouji's doted upon Osamu shamelessly.

But wait, what of the other son?

Ichijouji Ken was a sickly little boy with midnight blue hair that fell flat against his face. He was often ill and thus restricted to his bed for most of the time. A personal doctor was hired to care for the boy, a strange man by the name of Yukio Oikawa. He had a crooked smile and untrusting eyes, but he happened to be Ken's only friend so Lord Ichijouji kept him around. He went by Oikawa rather than Sensei Yukio, much to Ayana's dismay.

Oikawa spent long afternoons with Ken in his room, encouraging the boy to read awkward books with ancient spells and putting in the boy's mind the allure of becoming a sorcerer.

It wasn't that Lord Ichijouji loved Ken any less than Osamu, it was merely that he had a better connection with the elder son. He understood nothing about magic and sorcery, it rather terrified him. He did understand, however, hunting and wrestling and all those things Osamu was an expert at.

That was why when Osamu died Lord Ichijouji was forever changed. Osamu had been flown from Rionx when the creature was spooked by something in the woods. His spine was crushed by the impact and he died within seconds. Lord Ichijouji found him later that evening and immediately killed the whimpering stallion lying beside his master.

It wasn't long after that both Lord and Lady Ichijouji caught a flu that took both their lives in a matter of weeks.

Ken became the new Lord Ichijouji at the age of thirteen.

The first thing he did was fire all of the hired help, including Oikawa. The majority of windows were boarded up and the crops were left to rot. Ken expected to die from the next illness that took hold of him, but grew increasingly healthy with each passing day. Still, incredulous, he spent his time studying spells and incantations and waited for death to claim him.

* * *

The southern province of the Ishida Kingdom was where Lady Kamiya Yuuko and the young Baroness Takaishi Natsuko spent their youth. The Baron Takaishi married his daughter off to Crown Prince Hiroaki when her fifteenth birthday passed, even though the two were not known to get along very well. Yuuko traveled often to the capital to see her best of friends, and eventually met Yagami Susumu.

She fell madly in love with the handsome Lord instantly and their courtship lasted only a few months. She came to live with him on his small manor just outside the capital.

Yuuko had her first child two years after she was married to Susumu; a healthy boy they named Taichi. He was incredibly lively, getting into everything from the moment he took his first step. Both Lord and Lady Yagami cherished their son, and spoiled him devotedly.

If there was one thing that Yuuko wanted more than anything, it was a little girl. That's why, when she gave birth to her second child three years later, a delicate baby girl, she named her Hikari, for she truly was her mother's light.

Whether it was proper or not, Yuuko made it quite clear that Hikari was her pride and joy. You might think that Taichi would be jealous of this; who wouldn't be envious of the favorite child? But Taichi was a boy of outstanding character, and even at the tender age of three, when he first laid eyes on his infant sister, he decided to protect Hikari as best he could. He reserved no spite towards her when she was born, or in any years following.

By coincidence, or maybe fate, if you are a believer of such things, Natsuko bore two children in correspondence with her life-long friend's children. Yamato, crown prince of the Ishida Kingdom, was born two months before Taichi; Takeru was born three months after Hikari.

Natsuko and Yuuko both decided that their children should marry for love. They also thought it would be marvelous should their children fall in love with one another. For this reason, Takeru and Hikari spent a good deal of time together from infanthood until Takeru turned seven.

When Yamato was ten, King Hiroaki set up an arrangement in which Yamato would eventually marry Princess Sora of the Takenouchi Kingdom across the North Sea. This went against Natsuko's wishes, and the young queen, fed up with her unhappy marriage decided she needed to get away from her husband.

Divorce was unheard of in those days, so, under the false excuse that she was ill and needed to get away from the capital to get well again, Natsuko returned to her father's barony with Takeru by her side. Hiroaki and Yamato were left alone, seeing neither Queen nor Prince for the better part of ten years.

Hikari spent a good deal of time in the capital city after Takeru's departure. There she and her brother befriended Motomiya Daisuke, the son of the blacksmith. He was wild and adventurous, but with a compassionate side that could not be beat. He was of no noble decent, but became a Paige and eventually squire to Taichi.

Years passed by quickly in the capital, all of them carefree and prosperous. By the time Hikari turned seventeen she had become a true image of beauty. She had long, silky, light brown hair that framed her face perfectly, large brown eyes with the slightest tint of red in them, and small red lips that pulled into an enchanting smile. With her beauty was the grace of a Goddess and the heart of a dove.

She was content spending most of her days assisting her mother at home, or helping out at the castle, but she loved wasting the day away with Taichi, Yamato, or Daisuke. Daisuke always brought her with him when he sparred, always trying to show off his skill. He was the strongest and most skilled squire thanks mostly to Taichi, and Hikari adored watching him because he always looked so happy when in the melee ring.

One afternoon in the spring when Hikari came to the palace to find Daisuke, she nearly ran into a tall blonde. At first she thought it was Yamato, but upon closer inspection she guessed that the young man was just shy of seventeen years.

After ten years Lady Natsuko returned and Hikari was reunited with Takeru. They were inseparable from that day forward, much to Daisuke's dismay. Takeru had been training to become a knight with his grandfather and quickly showed Daisuke his capabilities. They became rivals more than friends, but kept that to themselves for Hikari's sake.

For the first year of Takeru's return, Hikari received many offers for a husband. Taichi went through them and found fault with all of them. Some of them were her father's age, some already had wives. Some, like a Duke named Wallace, simply lived too far away. Taichi was not about to let his sister marry someone who would take her away from him.

When Takeru spoke to Lord and Lady Yagami about his intentions to court Hikari, Taichi was present. Yuuko nearly fainted from delight, and Susumu thought it would be an honor to have Takeru as a son-in-law. Taichi neither turned Takeru down nor gave his consent. So Takeru went ahead and courted Hikari with caution; Hikari adored Taichi more than anyone and would never marry someone he did not approve of.

* * *

You are probably wondering what the tragic son of Lord Ichijouji has to do with young Yagami Hikari or even Prince Takeru. But that, my friends, is for another chapter. 


	2. Chapter 01

_Tears You Never Cried_

_Chapter 01_

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**Disclaimer: **I disclaim.

**Author's Note:** I'd like to start out by apologizing for not updating in forever and a day. Life's been less than a joy lately and I was concerned that my writing would be affected. But things aren't getting much better and this isn't going to write itself, so it may just be a little darker than I originally anticipated. I had a lot of trouble with this chapter; I actually have about three versions of it on my computer.

* * *

The lifespan of a healthy male in the time which our tale takes places was usually no more than five or six decades. It was uncommon for a man to live for sixty and five years, and much longer would only be possible if one of the gods looked down upon a man with favor.

But there were those who looked down at the restrictions of mortality and threw their heads back, laughing at the fools who let fate draw their last breath. These men lived for eight or nine centuries, if not longer. These men were sorcerers.

Ichijouji Ken had accepted that he was going to die long before his elder brother's demise and his parents' tragic deaths. He spent hours studying spell books that could drive a man crazy if he read too long. He didn't expect to live long enough to be driven mad and thus did not heed the warnings.

The new Lord Ichijouji did not throw his head back and laugh at the fools who lived the lives the Fates gave them. He was one of those fools, and yet, he became healthier and stronger with each passing day.

By the time he was fifteen, he had regained all of his strength and had the skill of one who had been studying magic for one hundred years. By his seventeenth year of life he had learned what took two hundred years to study and master. Unfortunately, something sinister had taken a hold of him and began to drain his life force. Even with his progress, he did not have the power to destroy it.

He needed the power of someone pure and innocent.

* * *

At the very bounds of the Hida kingdom laid a village that was, for the most part, forgotten by the capital. These people were left to fend for themselves, relying on the rich earth to sustain their lives. It was isolated from the rest of the kingdom because it was almost entirely surrounded by a thick, luscious forest. It was a place where gossip spread like a plague and everyone knew everything about the neighbors.

The village was dubbed Fumio after its founder. It was the closest village to the Ichijouji manor, and the place where most of the servants who were fired by Ken moved to. They spoke little of where they came from or why they moved to Fumio, making the villagers wary of them.

A year or so after the newcomers settled in, a number of strange events took place. Within six months, five pigs, two cows, a dog, and three chickens went missing, only to be found at the edge of the forest a few days later, their bodies torn apart ritualistically. Some were missing parts of themselves; some were drained completely of their blood. Several sections of crops were destroyed; witnesses claimed they were engulfed in a midnight blue flame.

Fingers pointed at the mysterious newcomers. Lord Ichijouji's former servants were, for the most part, chased out of town before the next harvest. The few who had started families already were allowed to stay, but heavy glares fell upon their backs at all times.

Things grew quiet and the villagers believed that they were safe…

Until people began to disappear.

The first was a little girl who stayed out after the sunset and was found with her wrists slit open and the blood drained from her veins. Next the village healer was found in a similar condition. Young maidens began to disappear more often.

The men, fearful of their daughters' lives, set out into the forest to find what was targeting the village. The servants from the Ichijouji manor told of the young boy who had dismissed them, and how he was certainly dead.

Five men ventured out into the forest.

Two returned.

Neither had any memory of leaving.

* * *

Two very important things happened for Takeru on the day he returned to the capital to live at the palace once more. The first was perhaps the greatest moment in his life, for within the first few hours of his return he fell madly in love with his childhood friend. He could hear trumpets play and angels sing when he looked into her eyes, feel is face grow warm and his palms grow sweaty when she smiled at him, feel his heart speed up when she spoke.

The second, though much less significant, was also very important. While out walking and familiarizing himself with the palace once more, Takeru found a cozy little spot where he could sit and clear his thoughts. His sanctuary was near the back of the palace grounds, almost up to the forest that sat north of the property. It wasn't anything extravagant; it was little more than an old oak tree that fit against the contours of his back just right. Yamato often inquired as to where Takeru was only to find that he was off at his little spot.

Now Yamato was not a person one would expect to want anything. He was Crown Prince, heir to the prosperous Ishida lands and someday the Takenouchi Kingdom would be annexed into his possession. He was blessed with good looks; a charming smile, long, thick locks of golden sunlight woven together, deep, dark ocean eyes. He was every woman's dream, whether she be peasant or of noble blood.

Yamato had servants to take care of his every desire. He never went hungry, never felt the true chill of a winter's wind, and was never forced to sully his hands with servant work. He did what he wanted when he wanted, without consequence.

Perhaps because of this, Yamato had never understood the appeal of the lonely oak tree when Takeru could have just as easily locked himself in his room to be alone. But on this particular spring morning, with the wind blowing sweet whispers in his ear, and the sun shining upon him, caressing his skin like a lover's kiss, Yamato thought he might clear his thoughts.

He made his way across the field and towards the single tree. A strong breeze carried through the air, knocking some of the delicate leaves from the branches and sent them dancing to the ground. Yamato watched for a moment and thought he understood why Takeru came to this spot.

_It was beautiful._

Unfortunately, Takeru's tree was already taken—by Takeru.

The younger blonde sat with his back against the tree, oblivious to anything around him. His eyes were shut, masking the delicate blue eyes, as if he was asleep.

Not wanting to disturb him, Yamato turned and began to walk away.

"You're welcome to join me."

Yamato scowled to himself, quickly masking his face with a sober expression as he turned to face his brother. "I wouldn't want to bother you."

"Bother me?" Takeru answered playfully. "You're never a bother, dear brother. Come and sulk with me for a while. You do it by yourself far too often."

"What do you have to sulk about?" Yamato demanded, silently accepting the offer and settling down beside Takeru.

"I am supposed to announce my engagement to Hikari this evening. People will expect me to have a date set, but we can't set a date because Hikari will not marry me before Taichi gives his approval. When do you suppose that will happen?"

"Taichi is a stubborn bastard at times. But I think that he'd rather see Hikari marry you than anyone else."

"Or not at all."

Yamato chose to remain silent, allowing the rest of thoughts to sit in his head. At least Takeru had found a woman he loved, and she loved him back. At least he wasn't like Takeru was going to be marrying a woman he could not find the will to love in little over a month, as his elder brother was.

"Look at you two handsome men."

"Hikari!" Takeru spoke happily, finding his way to his feet and greeting her with an affectionate kiss on her cheek. "Taichi," he added, nodding at her escort.

"Takeru," Taichi returned, barely acknowledging him.

"What are you doing here; shouldn't you be getting ready for tonight? It's going to take a day of soaking in the bath to get the smell off you, Taichi, so you'd better get to it."

"Aren't you witty, Prince Yamato," Taichi mocked, rolling his eyes at his friend.

"Mother wanted to see if she could help at all," Hikari answered. "And I wanted the chance to see you and to speak with Yamato."

"What can I do for you, Milady?" Yamato asked, standing.

"Walk with me?" she offered, linking arms with him and leaving Yamato only the option of consenting.

He was strangely comfortable alone in her presence, like he was free from all judgment, if for only a short while. Jealously towards his brother washed over him; he could not understand why Takeru was given such a gift and he was not.

"Lady Takenouchi will be coming to live with you soon, am I right? To help prepare for the wedding?"

"What? Oh, yes. She'll be here in a few weeks. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," she answered, slowing her steps and humming softly a tune to which there were no words. "You know," she began, stopping and taking both of Yamato's hands with her own, "you are very handsome."

Confused, Yamato said nothing.

"You are very handsome, intelligent, and you have a good heart. Sora is quite lucky to have you."

The breath in Yamato's lungs sat waiting for the prince to remember to breathe.

"I'm telling you this because you need to hear it. Sometimes we can't see the goodness in our own selves; sometimes we need other people to remind us."

"I'm sure that I don't know what you mean," Yamato spoke, exhaling deeply the forgotten air.

"I know that you have…reservations concerning your marriage to Sora."

Yamato frowned, hating the way Hikari knew things without them being said.

"Sora is a wonderful woman," she continued.

"Yes, she is."

"And you two do care about each other."

"Yes, but I don't think 'caring' about someone means that I should be forced into marriage. My parents were forced into their marriage, and look how well that turned out."

"You're not your father," Hikari insisted. "And you have to like someone before you love them—I'm sorry, this is none of my business." She stopped speaking, seeing the annoyed expression on Yamato's face.

"It's fine, I just don't like how I'm expected to feel a certain way about someone just because my father thinks it's a good idea."

"It's a tragic story, isn't it? Poor Prince being forced to marry some beautiful maiden who will no doubt bring his kingdom riches and glory, my heart bleeds for you."

"Who are you?" Yamato demanded, ocean blue eyes falling darkly on the intruder.

The man, tall with lanky black hair and dark, piercing eyes, laughed thickly, ignoring the question. "Poor Prince," he repeated to himself, petting the horse he was upon with heavy, harsh strokes.

"State your name and your purpose here!" Yamato shouted, hand falling to graze the hilt of his blade. He stepped in front of Hikari, motioning for her to back away.

"My purpose? Ah, well, my poor, pitiful Lord, is a kidnapping. Except…I don't want to worry about any witnesses, if you catch my meaning." The stranger dismounted, whistling loudly as his boots stomped on the dirt.

"Run, Hikari," Yamato whispered between his teeth.

"But—."

"Now!"

Hikari turned, grabbing her skirts and keeping her eyes on Yamato. She stepped away, ready to run to Taichi, but found herself colliding with something solid.

"Going somewhere, Darling?"

Hikari gasped, shrinking away from a short, stout, balding man with the distinct scent of alcohol covering his clothing. "Yamato!"

The second man grabbed onto Hikari, covering her mouth with his dirty hand.

"Get the wench to Ryo," the first man shouted. "I'll take care of Prince here."

* * *


	3. Chapter 02

_Tears You Never Cried_

_Chapter 02_

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I disclaim.

**Author's Note:** So I realize that I really suck at updating. I apologize. But I made it longer, does that help?

* * *

It didn't make any sense.

It was a complication he hadn't anticipated.

He was finally living life and now something was destroying him from the inside out.

And his magic wasn't saving him.

Ken knew that it would take a pure soul to cleanse his body from whatever had taken hold of him, but none of the ones he had collected seemed powerful enough. He'd drained the blood from seven virgins, torn the spirit from the healer of a village (and her daughter who would have been the healer in a few years and _her _daughter who very well may have learned the art of healing magic), and taken the innocence of four young children.

None of his concoctions or incantations had removed the dark essence from within him. Frustrated, Ken had torn apart the library, throwing every spell book he owned onto the floor in a heap. Flooding his magic into the books, he called for them to reveal any useful information.

One thick, black, leather bound book began trembling. Pushing aside all the books surrounding it, Ken studied the shaking mass. He took it into his arms and carried it onto the table. He recognized this book; it contained some very advanced, very dark spells.

"I hadn't considered you," he whispered, stroking its spine. "What can you show me?"

On command, the book opened and began flipping pages. Ken waited until it had finished flipping through its pages before glancing down at it. The faded black ink revealed a spell to drain the purity from an innocent soul and how to locate one that could generate enough power to provide the proper essence.

It wasn't a particularly difficult locating spell, the real issue was that the sorcerer needed to be strong enough to spread his power over the entire Earth, if need be. It was going to be a true test of Ken's abilities.

* * *

Ransom was a fear that every prince had engraved into his mind at a young age. Kidnapping to be used as bargaining for a low life bandit to get his hands on some of the kingdom's fortune, it was not unheard of. Yamato himself had never taken the idea seriously, but at this moment every warning that had been spat at him came rushing back in a wave of memories.

He wasn't going to be a victim.

This Ryo, who had been identified a moment before, came striding in atop his black steed. Yamato took a moment to survey the third bandit. He seemed of medium stature, handsome with wild chocolate hair and bright eyes. His gloved hands released the rope that connected to his horse, and the second man began pushing Hikari into his open arms.

Hikari struggled, pulling away from the short man, and twisting her arm free from his grasp.

Yamato moved in, knocking the balding man aside. "Run!" he repeated urgently.

Ryo appeared mildly bored as he dropped his arms down to the side and straightened. "Homare, Fumio, just kill the prince and grab the girl. Honestly, this should be done already."

Homare, the one who had first presented himself, snorted in annoyance. "Yeah, yeah, I get it." He dismounted and drew his sword lazily, pointing in towards Yamato.

It was then that Yamato realized that this wasn't an attempt to gain riches from the King's treasury, these men were after Hikari. Yamato's eyes narrowed.

Homare swung his sword at Yamato, aiming to lop off the prince's head. Yamato ducked easily, dashing to the side and making a strike himself.

Perhaps Homare would have been taken down at that moment, if Hikari's scream had not slowed and distracted Yamato. Fumio had grabbed her again, choking her with his alcoholic aura. Ryo, Yamato noticed, had drifted off to the side, barely in sight any longer.

Homare made a second move towards Yamato. Unprepared for him, Yamato could not block the hilt from crashing down upon his head. Hikari gasped as she watched Yamato fall to his knees; a thin line of blood raced down his forehead.

"Yama!" Hikari screamed, stomping her foot down on Fumio's calf. She struck her elbow into his belly and pulled away from his grasp. "Yamato!" she repeated, knocking against Homare and stopping him from delivering a fatal blow. She kneeled beside him, taking his face into her hands.

"Hikari," he whispered, lifting his hand to hers, trying to focus his eyes on her, "don't stay here. Get to safety."

Hikari shook her head, smiling softly at him. "They are after me. I cannot let you get hurt because of that." Dropping her hands, Hikari stood and faced Homare. "Let him be and I will go with you without a struggle."

"Noble, Milady, but like I mentioned before, witnesses are just a bother. I have to kill him, it's only right. Now move out of the way."

"No!" She shouted, standing strong in front of Yamato. "You will _not_ hurt him!"

Homare laughed, eyeing her darkly. "Do you fancy yourself to be in any position to order me around—?"

"Homare!" Fumio spoke, holding his sword up to block a strike that meant to take his life.

"Taichi, Takeru," Hikari whispered, relieved.

"Enough of this," Homare growled, knocking Hikari aside. "I'll just kill all of you!"

Yamato stood suddenly, lunging out with his sword and nailing Homare in the gut.

Fumio screamed, lashing out in rage at Yamato. Yamato blocked the strike, backing away.

Taichi shook his head and ran forward, running Fumio through. Pulling the dying man close, Taichi growled into his ear. "No one tries to hurt my sister."

Takeru sighed, staring down at the two bodies now lying motionless at their feet. He was by no means a fighter, but he had the proper training and they'd tried to hurt Hikari. He should have fought harder, should have taken one of them down.

Hikari stood shaking for less than a moment before grabbing at the end of her skirts and tearing off a piece. She began dabbing at Yamato's forehead despite his insistence that he was fine. "It's only a scratch, I'm alright."

Grabbing Hikari away from Yamato, Taichi pulled his sister into a long hug. "Why were they here?" he asked after he loosened his grip.

"They came here for Hikari," Yamato answered.

The sound of stomping feet drew all of their attentions as Ryo reappeared, charging towards them on his black steed. He kicked his leg out, knocking Taichi sideways and grabbed onto Hikari's arm, dragging her up onto the horse.

"Hikari!" Taichi screamed, chasing after them.

Grabbing the reins from Homare's abandoned horse, Takeru jumped on and sped after Ryo. He quickly passed by Taichi and caught up with them. "Hikari!" he shouted, extending his arm out to her.

"Takeru!" Hikari returned, throwing her elbow back into Ryo's throat and knocking him away from her.

Takeru took the opportunity to jump over the horse and grabbed Hikari, knocking them both off the steed. He turned his body, slamming onto the ground with Hikari on top of him.

Snarling down at them, Ryo grabbed the reins and continued off into the woods.

Hikari lifted her head and looked down at Takeru with watery eyes. Unable to find any words to speak, she pressed her body against him, grasping his shoulders in her shaky hands.

"Hikari!" Taichi breathed, pulling her up to her feet and wrapping his arms around her in one undistinguishable movement. "Thank Kami," he whispered into her hair.

Takeru propped himself up on his shoulders, watching the siblings as they embraced, before slowly finding his way to his feet.

"Takeru," Taichi growled, drawing the unsettled prince from his thoughts. Takeru stared nervously at him, seeing from the corner of his eye the brunette's arm reach outwards. "It will be an honor to have you as a brother," Taichi spoke.

Before Takeru and Taichi could securely grip one another's forearms, Hikari threw herself against Takeru, sobbing aloud. "Oh, Taky!"

* * *

"Can this be right?" he gasped, breathing sharply. His body ached fiercely, magic attached him to a map of the various kingdoms on the continent, draining into the paper. "So close."

Ken laughed, euphoric. He stopped the pour of magic from his fingers and leaned against the table. His strength was wavering from the spell, but…

_It worked._

He had found a pure soul.

An essence strong enough to destroy what was killing him.

And the owner was in the Ishida kingdom.

"Perfect," he spoke, wiping the sweat from his brow. He would leave as soon as he recovered. He would get there before the day's end. He would be able to begin the process tonight.

"Worm!" Ken scowled, "get in here!"

A small, misshapen mess of a man hobbled into the library. "Lord Ichijouji, you called?" He recoiled seeing the fire in his master's eyes, "Uh hem, Ken, I mean. What bidding would you like me to do?"

"Prepare Rionx for a little trip. I'll be leaving in an hour."

Worm nodded, bowing his head awkwardly. "As you wish, my lord."

Ken watched Worm retreat out of the room backwards before turning his back and scurrying away. The poor, misshapen thing was the only one aware of Ken's existence. He had been the son of one of his brother's servants, but Ken used him for one of his experiments, leaving him as something that could not be called human. Well, technically, he still had everything a human had; ten fingers were shared on two hands, ten toes on two feet. But his knees and elbows had drawn in the majority of the limbs, making them about a foot long each. His torso was less than half its original length, and his head had shrunk to match. Thus, Worm was adopted as the pathetic creature's new name.

* * *

Magic certainly had its perks. Ken could manipulate the elements enough to form objects from, seemingly, naked air. That was why he was able to create workable wings for Rionx so they could travel in a fraction of the time.

Rionx. Ken smiled at the horse, petting his face to calm him from the discomfort of 'sprouting' wings. He stole this horse from Fumio several years ago, named him in honor of his brother's horse.

The horse that killed Osamu when Ken was only thirteen.

Ken climbed onto Rionx and kicked against the steed's sides, prompting him to run forward and spread his wings, catching the wind and rising into the air. He was not unfamiliar with the sky, as unnatural as it was for him to take flight.

Ken scratched behind Rionx's ear to tell the horse he was pleased, before pulling on the reins, indicating that Rionx was to turn right. Rionx neighed, and picked up speed to please his master.

It took two hours to reach the boarder of the Ishida kingdom, a trip that would have taken a full day on the ground. Ken directed Rionx to land, not wanting to risk drawing attention to himself. Sorcery, though used by the kings in every kingdom, was looked upon with fear and disgust by the kingdoms.

It was another half hour before Ken reached the location where his spell told him to go. It was a modest manor, set outside of the capital. No other building could be seen save the outline of the palace beyond a series of hills.

Dismounting Rionx, he directed the horse to stay put until he called. Ken strode toward the front door, walking along the stone path that had been painted with what looked like a child's hand. The property was enclosed by a wooden fence, more a decoration than a source of protection, as it was barely three feet tall and the gate was wide open. Around the sides of the manor a myriad of flowers danced in the breeze, the colors and different varieties tastefully designed.

Ken lazily walked up the few steps that led to the front door. Knocking twice, he waited for a moment, until the door was open.

A woman, somewhere in her thirties stood in front of him, hair half done up, looking frazzled. "Hello," she said, smiling prettily, "can I help you?"

Ken coughed, clearing his throat. She was a pretty lady, looked innocent enough, but he knew that she was not the pure soul he needed. "I'm terribly sorry to bother you, but I have been traveling for a day straight. Your house is the first I've passed in hours and I was hoping I could be permitted to intrude for a short while, to rest myself and my steed, and perhaps buy some food for the rest of my journey."

"Of course!" the woman replied, stepping aside to let him enter.

Poor, foolish, trusting woman.

"You are too kind. My name is Ichijouji, call me Ken."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ken. I am Yuuko. You will have to forgive my appearance, my husband, Lord Yagami, and I are running late for an engagement." The Lady smiled, realizing that tonight Takeru was going to declare to the court his intention of marrying Hikari. Finding herself being rude, she gestured the newcomer into the kitchen. "Please sit; I'll put together something for you to eat."

_No servants?_ From his initial look at the manor, Ken had assumed that the owner was a wealthy farmer. It was only one story, long and adjacent to a field and a few crops. But, as it turned out, he was at the residence of a lord. One who apparently did not hire servants.

"Perfect."

Lady Yagami smiled, thinking he was speaking in gratitude. "Where are you traveling so far to?" she asked, cutting up a few slices of bread and spreading jam on them.

"I'm looking for…a friend. Somewhere in the Ishida Kingdom. I'll recognize the place when I see it."

"The Ishida Kingdom is very vast. What's your friend's name, I might know it."

"I'm certain you don't, Milady."

Shrugging, Yuuko set the bread down in front of him with a glass of water. "You'll have to excuse me for a moment, I have to finish my hair."

Ken nodded, taking a piece of bread in his hands. "I am very grateful for your generosity."

"It's no trouble," Yuuko answered, excusing herself and returning to her bedroom.

Ken set the bread down, listening. He had to get a glimpse of the lord of the house. He needed to know if Lord Yagami was the pure soul.

He rose, quietly sliding to the hallway. The first room he passed was a mess. Clothes were thrown around, the bed was disheveled, and a number of books were carelessly placed around the room.

Did they have a son, he wondered. It certainly was a boy's room.

The next room was in perfect condition. The bed was made, books were aligned in a bookshelf, and in fact, nothing was out of place. It looked like a guest room.

Ken could hear the voices of the lord and lady in the next room. He stood outside of it, pressing his body against the wall, listening.

"What's his name?"

"Ichijouji Ken, he said."

"Ichijouji?" Lord Yagami looked contemplative. "That sounds familiar."

"He just needed some time to rest and regain his strength."

"Well certainly, but he must be on his way when we leave for the palace. We cannot leave a stranger in our home."

Ken peered into the room. _It's not him either._

Frustrated, Ken moved into the doorframe. Yuuko saw him from the corner of her eye and turned, startled.

"Oh! Ken! Susumu, this is the young man I was telling you about."

Susumu looked Ken over, disliking the boy's creeping up on them. It was incredibly rude. "Yes, hello," he managed, remaining polite to keep his wife placated. "We are happy to help you out, but I'm afraid that we have to leave soon ourselves…"

"Who else lives here?"

"Excuse me?" Susumu questioned.

"Who lives here," Ken repeated, his tone demanding. "Servants, children, anyone."

"What sort of question is that? Are you planning to try and rob us when we leave?"

Yuuko gasped, horrified at the idea she might have invited a criminal into her home.

"I'm looking for someone, someone who is supposed to be here. Neither of you are who you're looking for, so someone _else_ must live here." Ken was growing impatient quickly.

"We live by ourselves," Susumu stated.

Ken exhaled deeply. He so hated being lied to. He'd been lied to all his childhood, told that he was loved as much as his brother, told he would soon be strong enough for his father to teach him archery and how to ride a horse…

"Wrong answer," he growled. He raised his hand, facing his palm at Yuuko. Blue magic poured from him, rushing at Lady Yagami, clutching at her skirts and thrusting her against the wall.

"Yuuko!" Susumu exclaimed, making an unsure step towards her.

"Move and I'll crush her until every bone breaks."

Susumu stopped all movement, even ceased breathing. "What do you want?"

"Tell me who else lives here. Do not lie to me again; I saw one of the rooms is a mess. I do not believe for second that you just leave it like that."

_Taichi._ Susumu swallowed thickly. His eyes looked so pathetically desperate that Ken almost laughed aloud at him. "Our son," he finally spat out, "our son stayed here last night. He was passing through and stopped to see us. He moved out a few years ago; quiet life did not suit him."

"Anyone else?" Ken pried.

"No, we have no servants. We prefer to look after ourselves while we are still able," Susumu whimpered. He would not mention Hikari; it seemed like Ken was basing his assumptions on the bedrooms. Hikari left her room every morning like she'd never been in it.

"Where is this son of yours now?"

Yuuko burst into tears, aggravating Ken further. He forced his magic tighter around her, making it impossible for her to get enough air to sob. "Don't test me," Ken warned.

Susumu looked at his wife. He could not let her die, but he didn't know what this stranger wanted with Taichi. "He doesn't live here."

Ken dropped his head for a moment. These people were making his plan very difficult to carry out. All he wanted was one miserable pure soul, was that too much to ask for? Apparently. "Where did he leave to this morning?"

"Don't say anything," Yuuko choked out. Susumu stayed quiet, terrified.

Ken glared at the woman. "Is that how it's going to be?" he questioned. His other hand went up, releasing magic at Susumu. His body slammed against the wall not far from his wife. "If you won't tell me where he went, I'll just have to find a reason to bring him back here." He detached the magic from his hands, freeing his movement but leaving them pinned against the wall.

Ken drew a knife from within his robes. "I imagine he will have to return to claim the title of his family, and bury the bodies of his parents." Ken coolly sauntered up to Yuuko, blade ready.

If the Yagami's had neighbors nearby they would have heard the screams of pain and torture that would have given even the most battle-hardened soldiers nightmares.

* * *

Queen Natsuko had spared no expense to make the ball an event that everyone would be talking about until the kingdom's children's children were grown. She bought the most expensive silks, dyed with the most expensive colors. The richest and most exotic food was being prepared. Everything that wasn't gold was gold accented.

There could be no fault to this evening. Tonight was the night Takeru was going to announce his engagement to Hikari.

Of course they would not be married until after Yamato and Sora were married, but Natsuko was ecstatic nonetheless. She and Yuuko and Hikari were going to plan the most amazing wedding to date. It would be _perfect._

Tonight would be perfect.

The servants had been slaving the entire day, preparing the last minute details and setting up the ballroom. The food was ready, the b_a_llroom was gorgeous, and the guests were arriving.

The guests were arriving!

Natsuko nearly had a panic attack. Was everything ready? Yes, she assured herself, looking around. She passed one more critical eye over the room before darting off to finish getting ready.

Yamato and Takeru were responsible for greeting the guests as they arrived, making the lords and nobles feel more important than they really were. Taichi stood a few feet off, arms crossed, leaning against the wall.

Normally he would be enjoying watching Yamato grow more and more uncomfortable as he struggled to remember all the names that he _forced_ Taichi to help him study, but his mind was elsewhere.

Why would someone want to kidnap Hikari? Was it because she was going to marry Takeru? Could one of her suitors have been desperate enough to try and steal her away? The ideas seemed possible, but not likely.

They decided not to tell Hikari's parents or the King and Queen. At least not until after the ball.

Taichi noticed that the quiet mix of voices had stopped. Hikari was descending the stairs, claiming everyone's voice and attention. Taichi shook his head, smiling. She'd have no problem as a princess.

"Hikari," Takeru spoke, squeaking slightly. He cleared his throat. "Hikari," he repeated, "wow."

Hikari smiled and looked down. A gentle pink painted her cheeks. "Thank you, Takeru. Your mother insisted I wear this, though I think it's a little much."

Yamato scoffed. "You look perfect, Hikari. Takeru should be very happy to have such a beautiful woman, eh Takeru?"

Takeru just nodded, staring. Hikari, by the Queen's suggestion (coercion) was wearing a white dress, with sleeves that went to her elbow. It was accented with maroon, drawing attention to her breasts and hips. It was stunning.

"Takeru, you have guests to greet. I'll escort Hikari in," Taichi smirked, offering his arm to Hikari.

"I'll see you soon," she said as Taichi led her into the ballroom.

* * *

The evening was going far faster than Takeru would have liked. He danced with Hikari, along with three other ladies, all daughters of nobles King Hiroaki wanted to keep on good terms. Dinner had come and gone, and everyone was being seated once more.

It was time.

Hiroaki spoke for a moment, thanking his guests again for coming. He complimented his wife on her decorating, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the Queen. Takeru heard none of this until his father said his name and the guests began clapping.

Feeling lightheaded, Takeru took his time standing. The room slowly became silent. Takeru's mouth became dry. His hands were already sweaty.

"I don't really know how to say this," Takeru admitted. "All I can say is that I must be the luckiest man in the world to be marrying the woman of my dreams. Hikari, will you stand?"

Blushing deeply, Hikari rose from her seat down the row. Though obviously embarrassed from the attention, she looked more composed than Takeru.

Takeru stared at her, adoring every little thing about her. "Hikari and I are to be married, next spring, in May."

Those who were sober clapped joyfully, those who were taking advantage of the free alcohol whooped and hollered.

Takeru saw Hikari's face become confused. As she was taking her seat her head turned to look down one side of the table to the other. She frowned.

Speech done, everyone was encouraged to continue dancing and mingling. Takeru stood, knocking his knee against the chair in a rush to get to Hikari. "What's the matter?"

"Have you seen my mother or father?" she questioned. "I haven't seen them all night and they aren't here now."

Takeru glanced around. She was right. The Yagami's were supposed to sit by his mother, but he had not seen them. Come to think of it, he hadn't greeted them, either.

"Taichi," Hikari called, interrupting the browned haired youth from helping himself to another mug of ale, "have you seen Mom or Dad?"

Taichi shrugged, thought about it, and became unsettled. "No," he answered finally. "But they wouldn't miss hearing the engagement."

"We should go home," Hikari offered, "I don't feel right about this."

Taichi nodded, raising his arm to get the attention of one of the servants. "Get a carriage ready for Lady Hikari and myself. Be quick," he ordered.

The servant bowed and hurried off.

"Takeru, you have to stay here," Taichi said, anticipating the prince would want to come too. "Let's go, Hika."

Hikari kissed Takeru's cheek and ran off behind Taichi.

Takeru prayed everything was alright.


	4. Chapter 03

_Tears You Never Cried_

_Chapter 03_

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I disclaim.

**Author's Note:** I like this story. I enjoy writing it. Why don't I do so more often, then?

* * *

From the harsh look etched into Taichi's features, Shin, the unlucky servant who had been standing idly watching the flowing skirts of the maidens as they danced, knew that he needed to get to the Yagami manor _fast._ He tripped over his feet as he rushed to the stables, stumbling into the building and flailing his limbs in front of him to brace his fall. Ignoring the blood that ran along the lines running along his palm, Shin let the small cut go unnoticed as he attached the two fastest horses to the carriage.

He cursed and spat onto the ground before jumping on and bringing the carriage to the front. Taichi and Hikari were standing on the steps, ready to leave. Stopping to let them climb in, Taichi immediately barked out an order to get moving.

Shin did not know what he had done to warrant the job of ushering the headstrong Yagami's home when he could have been watching the pretty maidens spin and dance and drink a little too much. He looked at his hand, remembering that it had cut open when he tripped. Most of the blood had dried into light patches spread out over his palm, but there was one thin line that was still bright and fresh. It ran in between the curve of his lifeline.

He certainly would not call himself superstitious, but Shin knew that there was significance behind that thin red line. Blood ran freely along his lifeline. It was a bad omen if he had ever seen one. Blood had been spilt that night.

* * *

Ken threw the doors open with such force that they swung into the wall with a loud thump and slammed closed fiercely. Worm flinched, able to read the fury in his master's eyes from the other end of the room.

Ken continued forward, unfazed by the noise. He eyed Worm darkly, looking for any excuse to take his anger out on the monster his own hands had created.

Deciding that it would not improve his spirits to beat Worm senseless, he rushed forward, knocking his foot into Worm with enough force to knock him onto his back, and continued on without missing a step.

His clothes were stained with blood. The stench of it lingered around him, preventing him from taking a satisfying breath of air. He began to undress, pulling his shirt off with disgust and letting it fall to the ground. He did the same with his shoes and pants, leaving him naked save a thin silver chain that clasped around his neck; a jade charm shaped like a small teardrop hung from it, cooling his chest as it touched his skin for the first time. He had taken it off the dresser on his way out of the Yagami's bedroom. He did not have a reason for stealing it, his fingers had just picked it up as he walked by.

A souvenir of sorts.

Grabbing the jade tear, Ken yanked at the necklace, breaking the delicate silver links. The blood on his hands smeared onto the teardrop, dulling the shine. He threw it to the ground as well.

Although in his rage he did not even hesitate to kill the couple, his entire being sank into a mix of revulsion and regret for what he had done. The act of killing had not been that difficult, but a part of him deep down was so outraged that he could not look at himself afterwards. It made his entire body feel as though he was covered in grime, made bile rise into his throat.

Worm had prepared a bath for him in anticipation of his return. The tub was four feet wide and four feet long, and the bottom sloped down from one foot deep down to five. Being unable to carry buckets of water in his deformed arms, he used a hose that ran from a reservoir Ken had set up so he would never have to leave the property to collect water down by the river.

The water was cold enough to send a chill through your body, the kind that sank into your skin and wrapped itself around your bones so it was impossible to get warm. But it was an easy task to bring the temperature up to something more suitable when a little magic was added.

He walked in slowly, allowing his feet to delicately move down the slope. The water around him turned red as his hands and chest were submerged. It swirled and shrank away, as if there was no blood to begin with. But it would take an hour or so of rough scrubbing before his hands would even _begin_ to feel clean.

He sank down further, letting the water rush over his head, pulling his midnight hair back, releasing the streaks of blood that had hardened over his locks.

* * *

"Hikari, wait here," Taichi commanded, jumping to the ground before the horses had come to a complete stop in front of the Yagami manor. Both the gate and front door were wide open, making a number of horrible thoughts present themselves in Taichi's mind. He shook them away and hopped awkwardly on one foot as he drew out a dagger from his boot before jogging up along the stone walkway.

He stuck his head in, scanning the room from the doorway before stepping inside. There were a few lights on, and he soon noticed a glass of water and a piece of bread on the kitchen table. "Mother? Father?"

Silence answered his call.

He took his time walking down the hallway, stealing long glances into his and Hikari's rooms. His body was tense with fear, an emotion he did not deal well with.

Finally reaching the master bedroom, Taichi stopped dead in his tracks before both feet could get passed the oak doorframe. His face twisted into a combination of shock, horror, and disgust.

He staggered in, half falling into the nightstand between the bed and door, his fingers clenching down on it as he doubled over and began to vomit.

It wasn't real.

It _couldn't_ be.

Taichi sank to his knees and began to silently weep, his hands raised to block his eyes from the gruesome scene.

* * *

Hikari shifted impatiently. Why hadn't Taichi come back out yet? She exhaled sharply and jumped to the ground, ignoring Shin's reminder that she was supposed to wait in the carriage. She ran into the house, and ran down the hall, looking left and right for any sign of movement.

She could see his feet as she approached her parent's bedroom. "Taichi?" His head snapped around and he looked up at her. Tears ran down his face. "Taichi, what—?"

First she saw the streaks of blood on the floor. She followed the dark red stains across the room to…to where her parents sat. Her eyes widened in shock as she tried to register what had happened to them.

There were knife marks all over their arms and upper torsos, superficial ones that cut through the clothing and sunk in just enough to make them bleed. They were used to torture them, not kill them. No, something much worse was responsible for their deaths. She had trouble making sense of it. Something had crushed her mother from just above her breasts to the middle of her thighs. It started at her father's ribcage and extended to his thighs as well. The pressure shattered the bones and liquefied the fat and muscle. Their sides had burst open, leaving the skin hanging loosely like torn fabric, and allowing their insides to explode out, covering most of the room.

"Hikari," Taichi whispered.

Hikari shook her head and backed away slowly. She grabbed onto her skirts and ran; ran from the sight of her mutilated parents, from Taichi, from Shin as he tried in vain to get her attention. She ran down the path back towards the capital, dodging tree branches and pulling away from the bushes that clawed at her dress.

* * *

"Daisuke, darling, would you come here a moment?"

Daisuke grumbled and set down the knife he was sharpening. "Coming Mother!" he shouted back. He stalked from his room to the kitchen, where his mother and sister were at the table playing a card game.

"Daisuke! Where is your shirt?"

"I took it off, it reeks."

"What if we had company? What if I wanted to introduce you to a nice young lady just now?"

"Then you would have thrown me in the bath an hour ago."

Mrs. Motomiya frowned. She couldn't argue with that statement. "Daisuke, dear, did you get a chance to see Takeru or Hikari today?"

Sighing, Daisuke shook his head. "I was helping Dad until after the ball had started. I didn't have time to see them."

"Oh, I can only imagine what the ball was like," Mrs. Motomiya said wistfully. "It must have been beautiful."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure it was. A bunch of rich lords showing off their women and their money, it must have been magical."

"Weren't you invited to go? Your father would have let you off early to get ready."

Jun laughed. "And what would he wear? Everyone there would assume he was a servant."

Daisuke gave his sister a look. She did have a point though. If he had gone he would have been the poorest person there. As close as he was to the family, some things couldn't be helped. Everyone there would have looked down at him.

He didn't mind skipping out on the announcement about Takeru and Hikari getting engaged, either.

There was a knock on the door. It was a little late for visitors. "I'll see who it is," Daisuke offered.

To say that Daisuke was surprised to see a disheveled Hikari at his front door would be an understatement. Her hair, which had been curled into loose ringlets and pulled half up, was now falling out of its holder. The bottom of her dress had a number of cuts lining it, and there were several small scratches on her arms.

"Hikari, what happened?"

She couldn't catch her breath. She had continued running even after her chest began to burn. Everything hurt. All she felt was pain.

She stepped forward and pushed herself against Daisuke. Her palms pressed against his bare chest, her finger tips curled slightly to try and grasp onto him.

He wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly. His chin settled on the top of her head and they just stood there, for how long neither could tell.

Tears filled her eyes. She sobbed uncontrollably; her entire body shook even with Daisuke holding her. "It can't be real, it isn't possible..."

"What can't be real?" Daisuke urged, but she couldn't speak anymore. She coughed, unable to breath. She pushed against Daisuke's arm, forcing him to let them drop, and fell to her knees. He followed after Hikari, squatting down beside her and rubbed her back.

Mrs. Motomiya and Jun appeared from the kitchen. "Hikari? What's wrong?" Mrs. Motomiya gasped, alarmed.

She wouldn't—couldn't—answer. All she could do was cry and pray to wake up from this nightmare.

* * *

"What's taking so long?" Taichi demanded, pacing back and forth in front of the main staircase.

Yamato sat on the third step, next to Takeru, and watched his friend grow more frantic. "Relax, Taichi, I'm sure they will find her."

"We should be the ones looking for her," Takeru snarled.

"Father has commanded that we stay here. Now is not the time to cause more problems."

"Problems?" Taichi spat, "problems? You were nearly assassinated by men trying to kidnap Hikari earlier today, my parents were murdered, and now I have no idea where Hikari is, and you're worried about causing problems for your father? Kami forbid we inconvenience the great and powerful King Ishida!"

"Taichi, shut up. That isn't what I meant and you know it. The three of us could be targets, too, and it would be stupid to split up and search."

"Then you can bring your princely ass with me."

Before Yamato could respond, a servant entered the hallway. "Taichi, sir, we have scoured the entire palace, and your sister is certainly not here."

Taichi glanced from the servant to Yamato to the servant again. "You're sure?" The man nodded as an answer. "Fine. Then I'm going into the city to find her. Hikari could be anywhere."

"She's at my house."

The four men turned to find Daisuke walking up to them. Taichi sighed audibly, relieved. "Is she alright?"

"No," he growled, "she's hysterical. She couldn't stop crying for over an hour. She finally fell asleep about ten minutes ago. What happened?" Daisuke couldn't help but glare at Takeru, "did you do something?"

"Of course not! Why would you think that?"

Daisuke shrugged. It was the easiest assumption. "Then explain to me why Hikari is so upset."

"We found our parents murdered in the manor. Someone used magic to do it." Taichi explained before covering his mouth, feeling as though he was going to vomit again just from remembering how they looked.

"Please tell me you're joking. Who would do that? What kind of monster would hurt your parents?" Daisuke could feel the tears welling up in his own eyes. No wonder Hikari was unable to speak to him.


End file.
